What Are the Signs and Symptoms of Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis?

The signs and symptoms of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) develop over time. They may not even begin to appear until the disease has done serious damage to your lungs. Once they occur, they're likely to get worse over time.

The most common signs and symptoms are:

Shortness of breath. This usually is the main symptom of IPF. At first, you may be short of breath only during exercise. Over time, you'll likely feel breathless even at rest.

A dry, hacking cough that doesn't get better. Over time, you may have repeated bouts of coughing that you can't control.

Other signs and symptoms that you may develop over time include:

Rapid, shallow breathing

Gradual, unintended weight loss

Fatigue (tiredness) or malaise (a general feeling of being unwell)

Aching muscles and joints

Clubbing, which is the widening and rounding of the tips of the fingers or toes

Clubbing

The illustration shows clubbing of the fingertips associated with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis.

IPF may lead to other medical problems, including a collapsed lung, lung infections, blood clots in the lungs, and lung cancer.

Clinical trials are
research studies that explore whether a medical strategy, treatment, or device is safe and effective for humans.
To find clinical trials that are currently underway for Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis, visit
www.clinicaltrials.gov.

Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis in the News

A drug used to treat patients with mild to moderate lung damage from the disease idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is no better than placebo for preserving lung function, according to a study supported by the National Institutes of Health.
The finding is in the final report of a clinical trial called Prednisone, Azathioprine, and N-Acetylcysteine: A Study That Evaluates Response in Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis (PANTHER-IPF).